Parliamentary Committee engages Tourism Minister to bolster sector collaboration

Parliamentary Committee Visits Tourism Minister

The Parliamentary Select Committee on Tourism, Culture, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs visited Minister Abla Dzifa Gomashie. This visit aimed to strengthen collaboration and oversight between Parliament and the Ministry.

Minister Gomashie welcomed the delegation warmly. She called the visit a “divine call and a national duty.” She expressed the Ministry’s eagerness to work with Parliament. The goal is to promote Ghana’s cultural identity and boost tourism.

Gomashie highlighted recent achievements, including Kete fabric's UNESCO recognition. This honor reflects efforts to protect Ghana’s cultural heritage globally. She also mentioned ongoing initiatives for Highlife music's UNESCO recognition. The Ministry has gathered audio recordings and scholarly materials for this purpose.

The Minister noted that Tourism, Culture, and Creative Arts are vital to Ghana's economy. They currently rank as the third-largest contributors to GDP. “With your support, we can move from third position to first,” she stated.

She urged Parliament to support reforms for modernizing agencies under her Ministry. Many institutions still operate under outdated laws despite restructuring in 2013.

Fred Kyei Asamoah, Chairman of the Committee, praised Gomashie's leadership. He explained that this visit was part of a broader familiarization tour by the Committee. They plan further visits to assess the Ministry’s operations directly.

Ayamba Ayii Laadi, Ranking Member of the Committee, stressed promoting tourism in Northern Region. The meeting ended with a commitment to ongoing collaboration between the Ministry and the Committee.